Torpedo-shield



l. E. MOORE, 1. BLACK, 1a., 1. C. CROSBY AND 1. BLACK.

10RPEDO SHIELD.

APPLICATION FILED 'JUNE 6.19M.

Patented July 15, 1919.

S 1 w w a 4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. E. MOORE J. BLACK. 1a., J. C. CROSBY AND J. BLACK.

TORPEDO SHIELD.

APPLICAHON FILED JUNE 6,191].

1,309,690. Patented July 15, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

J. E.'MO0RE, 1. BLACK. 1a., L C. CROSBY AND J. BLACK.

TORPEDO SHlELD.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6. 1911.

1,309,690, Patented July 15, 1919.

4 SHEETS --SHEET 3- 1. E. MOORE. J. BLACK, 1a., J. C. CROSBY AND 1. BLACK.

TORPEDO SHIELD.

APPLlCATION F1LED1UNE6-I9l1.

Patented July 15, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

STATES? OFFICE.

JOHN E. MOORE, JOHNBLACK, JR,

JOHN G. CROSBY, AND JOHN BLACK, 0F WALTERBORO. SOUTH CAROLINA.

'ronrnno-snmma.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN E. Moons, JoHN BLACK, Jr., JOHN C. Caesar, and JOHN BLACK, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of Walterboro, South Carolina, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Torpedo-Shields, which invention is fully set forth in the fol lowing. specification.

This invention relates to torpedo shields, and has for its object to provide a device of the above character which is designed to minimize the chances of explosion when the torpedo hits the shield and to reduce the chances of serious injury to the vessel either by impact with the torpedo or by an explosion if the latter should occur.

The invention resides in providing'an open-work shield, such as iron lattice-work or other surface provided with openings, with torpedo deflecting projections surrounding openings in the shield and interposing between the hull of the vessel and the shield a plurality of yielding resistances for taking up impact. The open-Work shield may assume various forms, but preferably is made by riveting strips of steel together to form a lattice-work, the openings or meshes of which are large enough to receive the nose or firing end of a torpedo, and too small to permit thepassage of the body of the torpedo. The deflecting projections are preferably struck up from sheet metal, and are given a cone or pyramldal shape suitable for guiding the nose of the torpedo when it strikes the slanting sides of the projections into one of the holes or meshes prepared to receive it. The yieldlng resistances are preferably in the form of springs placed opposite openings in the shield and abut at their inner ends against the hull. The shield structure may be supported in-any suitable manner which permits its surface to yield, as by means of spars or iron braces made fast to the hull and slidably connected with the shield. The shield preferably is designed to extend in a wide band from stem to stem, but may be made to surround the entire hull.

When a torpedo hits the sh1eld as thus constructed, the nose or firing end glides down the side of one of the cone pro ections, and is guided by its companion ro ections into one of the openings or mes ies 1n the shield, Without meeting resistance sufficient Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 1y 15, 1919 Application filed June 6, 1917. Serial No. 173,179. I

to cause the detonating plunger in the head to function and effect an explosion. Should an explosion occur, however, the center of explosion is removed from the surface of the hull and the shock is lessened by the cushioning action of the springs. The impact of the torpedo when it does not explode is safely cushioned by the springs.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, one mechanical expression of the inventive idea, and are designed as illustrations to assist the description of the invention, and not as defining the limits thereof.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of the torpedo shield made in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of a vessels hull showing the shield in position;

Fig. 3 is an elevational detail view showing the torpedo-deflecting rejections mounted on the open-work shield Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional detail showing the manner of slidably supporting the shield;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are other detail views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a sectional portion of a hull of a vessel on which is supported at some distance therefrom an open-work structure 2 which, as indicated in Fig. 1, may surround the hull of the vessel and extend below the water-line to any suitable distance for theprotection of the hull. The open-work structure 2 is supported by aid of brackets 3 fastened at their inner ends to the vessel at suitable intervals, their outer ends terminating in cone-shaped projections 5 and adapted to receive the threaded ends of shield-snppm-ting rods 4 on which slide frusto-conical headsG riveted or otherwise secured to the open-work 2 and adapted to fit under the ends of the brackets 33. See particularly Fig. 4. Interposed between the open-work 2 and the hull of the vessel are a plurality of coiled s rings 7, the opposite ends of which are heh in place by clamping means, such as by threaded claw-shaped members 8 each adapted to take thron 'h the sheathing or shield and clas the end spiral of the spring against the ad acent supporting surface by cured another series of similar parallel strips also spaced at suitable distances to form therewith a checker-work. Over alternate meshes of this structure, flanged coneshaped deflecting projections 11 are bolted. Between each pair of oppositely inclined faces occurs an opening 12- in the mesh, and an opening 13 also occurs in the mesh at the diagonal intersection of lines through the axesof the projections. Opposite the openings 13, the spiral springs 7 are positioned. The openings are of a size adapted to receive the firing end of a torpedo and to exclude the passage of the body portion.

The operation ofthe device as thus far described will be readily understood from the above description and, briefly stated, is as follows Assume that the shield has been assembled and placed in position as indicated in the drawings. When 'a torpedo hits the shield, the chances are that the firing end of the torpedo hits one of the inclined surfaces of one of the projections 11 directing its course into one of the openings 12 or 13 arranged for its reception. Owing to the construction and arrangement of the projections, a normal blow on the percussion piston in the head of the torpedo is avoided and a glancing blow is glven this member, there-' by reducing the chances of its properly functioning to explode the charge. After the nose of the torpedo enters an opening in the shield, the shoulders back of the head meet the faces of the spring-cushioned projections 11 which slide back on their supporting rods 4, thereby compressing the springs 7 which take up the shock of the col1is1on., Should, however, the torpedo explode, due to .the fact that its nose or firing end struck a point of a projection or for other reason, the danger to the vessel due to such an explosion is materially reduced, because of the removal of the explosion to a distance from the hull and .also to the fact that part of the explosive effect is taken up by the resihent backing of the shield.

What is claimed is 1. A torpedo shield for vessels, comprising a spring-pressed open-work structure provided with torpedo-deflecting projections distributed over the face of said structure and alternating with openings therein, each projection having surfaces inclined to said face for directing the firing end of the torpedo into' one of said openings, and supports for the structure fast to the hull, said structure having slida'ble connection with said supports.

2. A torpedo shield for vessels, compris- 

